California Wants You for the Cannabis Advisory Committee

Last Friday, the California Bureau of Medical Cannabis Regulation (BMCR) announced in a press release that it has begun seeking applicants to participate in a Cannabis Advisory Committee. The role of the Committee will be to help the Bureau and other state agencies – the Department of Food and Agriculture (DFA) and the Department of Public Health (DPH) – develop cannabis “regulations that protect public health and safety while ensuring a regulated market that helps reduce the illicit market for cannabis.”

The Committee is required under Proposition 64 and is one of several steps needed if California is to keep its promise to begin issuing cannabis business licenses by Prop 64’s January 1, 2018 deadline. The agencies still have their work cut out for them, including the challenge of reconciling the conflicting provisions under the Medical Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act (MCRSA) and Proposition 64.

The Bureau and other state agencies have been holding pre-regulatory meetings throughout California over the past year to gather information from cannabis stakeholders, which it is now using to draft initial state regulations for the various cannabis license types. According to the Bureau’s communications director, Alex Traverso, the Cannabis Advisory Committee will meet several times during the next year to review drafts of regulations and share their opinions to ensure that California rule makers are on the “right path.”

They are specifically seeking input from representatives of the cannabis industry, labor organizations, local or state law enforcement, state or local agencies, and from communities disproportionately affected by past federal and state drug policy, as well as cannabis cultivators, environmental experts, patient advocates, physicians, public health experts, social justice advocates, individuals with expertise in regulating intoxicating substances for adult use, and individuals with expertise in the medicinal properties of marijuana.

The application to join the Cannabis Advisory Committee includes requests for any relevant work history in the cannabis industry, and past or present affiliation with a cannabis company, relevant qualifications to serve on the Committee, an explanation of why you wish to serve on the committee, and any potential conflicts of interests. Applicants will also need to provide four references and submit a resume and letters of recommendation. In addition, selected committee members may be required to complete a Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) Form 700, Statement of Economic Interest disclosing their personal assets and income.

Committee members will be appointed by the Director of the Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA), Awet Kidane. The DCA is not looking to fill a specific amount of committee seats, but instead the committee’s size will be determined by the number of qualified applicants. Also, the positions on the Cannabis Advisory Committee are voluntary, which means you will not be paid for serving on the Committee, but members are entitled to receive reimbursement of their travel expenses to approved meetings, which will be held in the state’s capitol in Sacramento.

If you’re interested in applying, the bureau says it will keep the application process open for at least a month. For those currently involved in or hoping to join the California cannabis industry, this is an important opportunity to help shape the laws that will impact your/our future. The best way to affect marijuana law and policy is to get involved, whether it’s at the local, state, or federal level.

Please Join Us in San Francisco for the California Cannabis Investment Forum on September 28!

About this Blog

The Canna Law Blog is a forum for discussion about the practical aspects of cannabis law and how it impacts those involved in this growing industry. We will provide insight into how canna businesspeople can use the law to their advantage…

Disclaimer

Please be mindful that possessing, using, distributing and selling marijuana are all federal crimes and that this blog is not intended to give you any legal advice, much less lead you to believe that marijuana is legal under federal law. Please also note that even though marijuana is illegal under federal law, you will need to pay federal taxes just as though you are a legal entity. This is true even if you are a state law not-for-profit entity.

The Canna Law Group is a team of business attorneys focusing on the corporate, compliance, intellectual property, and consumer product issues impacting the cannabis industry. We represent medical and recreational businesses in multiple states, and we continue to offer our clients the proactive approach and strategic edge that this unique industry demands.